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On 4th October 1936, the ruined Christ Church was reconsecrated as a memorial to the pioneers of the district, Bishop Broughton, and the Reverend Edward Gifford Pryce, a pioneer of Anglican work in the Monaro.

In 1845 Reverend Price and Bishop Broughton decided to build Cooma's (and the district's) first church. The foundation stone of Christ Church was laid on 17 February 1845. Bishop Broughton drew up the plans for the church building and arranged for its construction. Due to labour problems and finance it was not completed until 1850.

Within five years it was realised that Christ Church was not located where the village of Cooma was developing. Morning services continued to be held at Christ Church, however evening services began to be held in the Court house in town.

An evening service was held in the court-house until the church was built. It was richly furnished and finally consecrated in 1872. He also built a new parsonage and school hall. His long incumbency was mostly a success and in his last years the work of the church in the Monaro was well organized.

Cooma, Sunday. The Bishop of Goulburn (Dr Burgmann) today reconsecrated the old Christ Church at Cooma Creek, as a memorial to Bishop Broughton, the Rev E G Pryce, and Archdeacon Thomas Druitt and of pioneers of Monaro. Christ Church was built in the forties of last century, through the efforts of Mr Pryce, who was the first resident Anglican clergyman in the Monaro district, and it was consecrated by Bishop Broughton in February, 1850. The old church Is now being restored. A large number of people came out from Cooma to attend the ceremonies The Archbishop of Sydney (Dr.Mowll) preached at a children's service in the old church this afternoon and this evening a thanksgiving service was held at St Pauls Church Cooma. The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW), 5 October 1936.

Details

Dedication

This church, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1845, is the first church to have been built in Manaro and was used as a place of regular worship until 1872.

In 1936 the church ws partially restored and dedicated as a memorial to the pioneers of the District and to the Rt. Rev. Bishop Broughton, first Bishop of Australia and Rev. E. G. Pryce the pioneer clergyman of Manaro, who were responsible for the erection of this church.

Within these grounds are recorded names of many of the early pioneers.

This plaque records the complete restoration and re-hallowing of the church in 1960.